Local stars on X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing

The TV ratings battle hots up tonight as Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor dominate the screen - with the Black Country having key players in both shows.

For the first time, the programmes have not been timed to go head-to-head, giving families the chance to settle down for three hours of back-to-back reality TV.

Black Country X Factor wannabe Liam Payne will tonight be seen performing for the first time with his new boyband.

Millions last weekend saw the Wolverhampton teenager rejected as a solo artist by judges during the boot camp stage, before being called back by Simon Cowell and chosen as one fifth of band 1 Direction.

The 17-year-old former St Peter's Collegiate School pupil will tonight be seen performing alongside his new bandmates - Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Zain Malik - as they bid to be named one of 12 acts going through to the finals.

Two other Black Country hopefuls will also be seen. Wolverhampton University student Treyc Cohen, a 26-year-old from Tamworth, who studies at the Walsall campus, joins Cher Lloyd, Gamu Nhengu and Katie Waissel. Retired teacher Wagner Fiuza Carrilho, of Dudley, also got through.

Meanwhile seven more dancers will strut their stuff on Strictly Come Dancing. Black Country-born musician Goldie, and partner Kristina Rihanoff, proved a crowd pleaser as the new series sashayed back on to TV screens last night.

But the judges were not as impressed and the DJ-turned-actor finished last but one. The 45-year-old danced to Tick Tock by Kesha.

Goldie, who grew up in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, said: "I'm here to learn and I'll take it to the next level."